


It was summer until nine. It was winter from fifteen. We wait. We serve.

by LunaLightEclipse



Series: Reset Then Restart [3]
Category: Bleach
Genre: A Little Bit of Humor, But depressing stuff as well, Inner world stuff, It's not as bad as the one I did for Byakuya
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 19:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17310647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaLightEclipse/pseuds/LunaLightEclipse
Summary: This is from the Reset Then Restart AU but it can be read without reading it, this is Shiro's perspective of the events that happened. This one is far less depressing than the one about Byakuya. I am going to tell it in two parts, the first is from cannon events (Up until the fight with Aizen above Karakura town.). The second is the RTR extended winter war.To read this you do not have to read Reset Then Restart. It will still make sense without it.





	1. Summer and Storms

**It was summer until nine. It was winter from fifteen. We wait. We serve.**

**"Shiro-Zangetsu"**

_"Zangetsu-Ossan."_

_**"Zanpakuto."** _

* * *

**This is from the Reset Then Restart AU but it can be read without reading it, this is Shiro's perspective of the events that happened. This one is far less depressing than the one about Byakuya. I am going to tell it in two parts, the first is from cannon events (Up until the fight with Aizen above Karakura town.). The second is the RTR extended winter war.**

* * *

He was sleepy still, brief flickers of light from his attempts to wake up. What had he been doing last? Quincy... Shinigami? Small child. His thoughts drifted from one thing to the next. He knew not how long had he been laying here since regaining awareness, just thinking. Day, Months, perhaps years.

It didn't matter though as he was comfortable. In his stillness he noticed he was growing, clothes changing to fit his size. Warmth hit him from above in a comfortable way, like a mother's embrace. The heat warming up whatever rested on the left side of his head. He continued his rest on a hard surface.

The small being woke up some more.

What was his name? White the man had called him. But that didn't feel right, that man had no right to give him his name.

_"Zangetsu."_

That was right.

A shadow fell across him. So he opened his eyes. There stood a tall figure in a black cloak, constantly moving even without any wind to move it in the first place, his brown hair did the same. Yellow sunglasses protected the man's eyes from the bright sun.

 **"W...Who you?"** The speech was clumsy in his mouth. Had he ever spoken before? He tried to stand up from his position only to crumple back down. His legs unused to holding a person, his body unused to standing. His balance was of. Too short?

The cloak man chuckled then spoke, _"I am Yhwach, it seems like you are having some trouble there. Some assistance maybe?"_ Yhwach held out his hand tightly to help him stand, Zangetsu accepted. He got back on his feet slowly and would have fallen over many times if not for the old man.

**"Y.. Yh..a..ch.. Ah it's too hard! Your Ossan 'cause ya' look old!"**

He was like a child, at the moment his body weak. He could feel his own power and mind still sleeping. For now he was a child.

_"If you say so. How about you look around this world, it is our home after all."_

**"This worl' is ours?"**

_"No but it is where we live."_

**"Then who's is i'?"**

_"Kurosaki Ichigo's and we are part of him. We go where he goes and he is what we fight for."_

**"Then 'e is King."**

_"You could put it like that. Now come on."_

They spent hours and hours walking around the world. It only had a few buildings but Zangetsu wanted to have every detail in his mind. His favourite building was not the prettiest but it was still the best. It was what he dubbed the building of memories. Their Zangetsu could see everything King had done when he wasn't actively watching.

Even if his King did not know of his existence he was still the most important. The next on the list was Yuzu, Karin and their mom. (For even hollows and zanpakuto's could have family). If he was a part of King then they were his family to.

Zangetsu loved being outside. There was flowers of all colours and trees everywhere the buildings were not, the sky was always cloudless and the sun always shone brightly.

* * *

Not a year had passed when the most frightening thing that he had witness with his less than a year of awareness life happened. He sat in the inner worlds version of Kurosaki Clinic when all of a sudden the world became ice cold and the sun went dark. Outside was pitch black and then it started to rain. If it could even be called rain it was more like a constant stream of water blanketing the world. Then it got worse. The rain turned to hail and the entire world  _trembled._ Everytime it did the small world  _creaked_  as if it would break.

 **"Ossan!"** He practically jumped into the mans lap and  _cried_ and  _screamed_ every time the world shook because even if it did not touch him inside of the building the ice hurt and it was cold. All he wanted was for it to end.

_"Shhh... It will be over soon Zangetsu."_

He heard but did not listen. All he did was cling onto the long cloak and waited for the eternity of dark and cold and ice to end.

Eventually the world stopped shaking and the hail returned to being rain and fierce wind. The sun did not return.

When he had climbed his way out of the building the gravity was sideways and the life was gone. Pushing through the rain he made it to the building of memories and began to look through the latest memories to try to find out what had happened. He certainly found it. She was dead. Their beautiful mother that smiled like the sun was dead, killed by a hollow. A monster just like him.

He cried alone in that room because he hadn't even thought to bring the old man with him considering that he had told Zangetsu to stay in the Clinic building until this ended. He still cried because her death hurt and that hollow would die.

* * *

A few days later a boy with bright orange hair appeared in the world. Zangetsu was scared, what would King think of him? He was a monster after all. So he hid in the old man cloak and gripped his hand as tightly as he could.

_"Zangetsu you can come out, he will not do anything to you."_

"Who are you? And who are you talking to?"

He peaked out from the fold of black cloth just a little bit to answer him, **"Hi. I'm Zangetsu."** He gave a small smile to the orange haired boy.

"Sorry I can't hear your name. Can I call you Shiro?"

 **"Tha' is fine."** Then hid back into the cloak once more.

"Shiro are you shy?"

 **"NO!"** Zangetsu could feel the blush that was present on his face burning. He was not shy! Absolutely not!

"Ok..." The boys small happiness then deflated again and he gazed at the floor. He looked far to dead for Zangetsu's liking.

**"It was'n' ya fault ya know."**

"But I!"

 **"No. Don' wanna hear it. Stop blamin' ya self or i'm gonna throw ya of the building."** Being an arse seemed to work as the rain slowed down a great degree. What Zangetsu hadn't expected was the sudden hug attack as his king knocked him onto the ground.

"Thank you." The sound was muffled from Ichigo having his face in his chest but he understood him.

**"Anythin' ta get rid of te rain king."**

Ichigo quickly fell asleep laying half on top of hollow zanpakuto. Zangetsu found that he didn't really mind it. It did get rid of the rain after all. Even if it was just a little bit some sunlight passed through the clouds.

* * *

The rest of the time in Ichigo's inner world passed without any visits but that was fine as it meant that Ichigo was well.

BUT IT WAS SO DULL IN HERE!

As Ichigo grew older skyscrapers started to appear within the inner world that now always had clouds and was never as warm as it used to be. The plants were forever gone and and all the buildings were so plain!

An eleven year old Zangetsu could be seen rolling about on one of the buildings sides.

**"Ossan I'M BORED!"**

_"..."_

**"Ossan."**

_"..."_

**"BORED!"**

_"..."_

**"Sunglasses?"**

_"..."_

**"Flagpole?"**

_"Hn..."_

**"Was tha' a sound I jus' heard?"**

_"..."_

**"Oh fa fuck sake!"** He continued to roll about on the side of the skyscraper then bumped right into the pole Ossan was  _always_  stood on.  **"Gimme!"** He jumped up kicked ossan in the chest and stole the pole.

He ran.

_"HN..."_

**"Tha' is a rather loud hn I jus' heard!"** Zangetsu cackled.

_"HNNNNNNNNNNN..."_

At the ridiculous sound Zangetsu looked over at Yhwach and promptly ran of the side of the building dropping the pole in the process.

A happy  _"Hn..." this time._

 **"Fuck ya to!"** There was a thud that was Zangetsu eventually hitting a skyscraper.  **"Hnnn... tha' hurt! Oooh wha' is this? Oi Ossan I know ya miserable bu' I jus' found chocolate cake in one of te buildings! Furniture Ossan! Finally somethin' else ta look a'!"**

_"What was that?"_

**"Cake!"**

That day Zangetsu learned that old man yhwach loved chocolate cake.

* * *

One day a burst of forern reiatsu made itself known in their world.

**"Te fuck?"**

_"Zangetsu remember that conversation we had? About Ichigo and shinigami."_

**"Yea...?"**

_"Well hide. Go look at what Ichigo is doing or something."_

**"I see. I' is time now then?"**

_"Yes."_

**"Very well."** For now Yhwach was Zangetsu and he was nobody, he was just the hollow.

* * *

The hollow waited a month and then some more unable to tell what was going on outside. Other than that one time with Shrieker, he could smell the taint of hell on that hollow. He had peaked out of his space to look and listened to what was being said. Then he had mentioned how he had promised the young boy his mother.

He was pissed.

Reaching out for some control the inner hollow punched through its mask and pulled out its tongue.

Then Ossan shoved him back into his black box.

But she had noticed. She was now curious.

Light appeared in one of the corners of his black box, there was a women with hair and eyes that seemed to be made of ice.

_**"And who might you be?"** _

**"Who am I? Who are ya? Ya don' belong 'ere."**

A smile, _ **"Well your supposed human took me from my master but as this is not my soul I guess I should tell you. I am Sode No Shirayuki."**_

**"Wish I coul' give ya a name back bu' for now I don' 'ave one."**

_**"No need for a hollow to have a name though is there."** _

**"Ya an interestin' one. I like ya. Fine I guess you coul' stay in this worl' for now. Not like I don' like ta snow ya brought."**

And then there were three members of that soul.

* * *

Screaming, then the snow melted and she disappeared.

The hollow and the old man hid in the very depths of the soul.

_"Hollow? Is something bothering you?"_

**"Nope. Nothin' at all. Look after 'im for me will ya?"**

_"Always."_

Because even is his King hated him with all of his being the hollow would still fight for him. Even when the very air around him wished his presence gone. He would stay. After all his king was still breathing so the hollow would protect him.

No matter how much it hurt to exist.

* * *

The Kuchiki would have killed Ichigo, so the hollow took over. He fought and fought until the Kuchiki was no longer such a threat. He fought to stay in control and to protect this body.

The hollow screamed and howled at the  _pain_  of being rejected and thrown away.

But it was fine, until he had to become Zangetsu once more he could endure.

The hollow didn't blame the vizards for how they thought, they had lost everything to their hollows. So Ichigo pushed him down and took his power.

But not all. Because the hollow was a bit more than just that.

So once again he waited in the darkness. He was very good at waiting.

* * *

Ichigo was  _dead_. Not just body dead. He was dead. His very soul had been killed. Shot through the chest with a cero dead.

He  _hated_  Ulquiorra.

The hollow have all of his power to King. Every last drop of it. Of the hollow, not the zanpakuto. He gave everything but sanity. No one was in the drivers seat.

What controlled the soul was instinct.

Ulquiorra would die because he could never topple a King. He was not good enough.

Then he was tired. He went to sleep. The hollow trusted his King.


	2. The war that granted winter.

**It was summer until nine. It was winter from fifteen. We wait. We serve.**

**"Shiro-Zangetsu"**

_"Zangetsu-Ossan."_

_**"Zanpakuto."** _

_"Mind Communication."_

* * *

**Not really much to say about this chapter. Ichigo can purr. People die and fuck Grimmjows last name.**

**This switches a lot between Shiro and third person to show things that Shiro has not seen but sort of knows happened.**

* * *

_Chapter 2, The war that granted winter,_

After some time he thought that he wound get used to it, after a longer period of time he realized that this was not something that he could ever get used to. The air itched and his supposedly non-existent heart burned with self-hate and loneliness.

There was always Ossan but he could not fix a feeling created by the pain he had caused his King.

At first it had been a simple rescue mission. Go to Hueco Mundo, retrieve the princess and scram. Oh so simple and oh so foolish. This was the enemy base of an army they were trying to get into. Just because they did not die in their rescue mission for the Kuchiki girl did not man that this was going to go the same.

Soul society suffered from many problems, when they first went there they had been shoved into the first and most major problems. Rukongai. Did he even need to explain this one, not including the fact that they had landed in one of the better districts.

Then there was the response time within the Seireitei. For a military organisation that had been around for the past 2000 or so years you would think that their response to an invasion would be so well performed that the invaders would not even have time to blink before the captains were aware and squads put in order. One would also think that permission for zanpakuto release would follow shortly after.

But no. Other than those rather friendly idiots from squad eleven it took several hours for release to then be accepted! There was a multitude of reasons for this. The fact that central 46 existed made everything difficult as it turns out that the Soutaicho can not just put martial law into place.

First he had to inform the 46 fools that martial law was needed. He was also required to fill out a sheet of paperwork stating why and with his signature included and  _then_ and only then did the Old but incredibly strong man gain right to give orders without the central's input.

Next was how slow the entirety of Seireitei ran, but not all of it was their fault. The loss of so many power houses - Kisuke, Tessai, Yoruichi and Shinji and his gang of hybrids - not only had an effect on th gotei's power but also how the newer shinigami were trained. The new captains and lieutenants were far less strict and had gained far less experience than their predecessors.

This wasn't to say that they were bad. They just wasn't as good and in Aizens case he was deliberately sabotaging his divisions progress in anything.

More things that effected the gotei was an overload of paperwork, paperwork not being filed properly, paperwork taking an age to reach from A to B and captains not being given enough time to do things such as train due to large amounts of said paperwork meaning the newer and less skilled captains were weaker.

Such a foolish thing to expect the arrancar army to run around like headless chickens in the same way as the shinigami.

No these people were organised and ruthless. There was very little paper work ever needed due to how simple they had made everything. A small set of rules was all that an army was in need of and everything ran so much better. Certain people can only do this, this and this and can't do that. Here are ten people that are in charge, two above those and a King.

Done! Army made and organised.

With the added addition of how ruthless Hollows could be. Ichigo needed to stop being such a baby and get over the whole killing people thing.

Then there was Ullquiorra. He had done one of the worst things for an arrancar to do and ignored their heart. When one turns into an arrancar they regain their heart. If in a lesser amount than a human they have a heart. But the confusing man had ignored it and become confused.

He was also strong as all hells which made things even worse if that was even possible.

Segunda etapa. Fucking terrifing and far to much for Ichigo being as sealed as he is. But even forcing him to give king so much power was absurd.

As the man was disintegrating Ichigo laid on the floor unconscious. Orihime the kind women she was healed him enough to prevent the disintegration and repaired all his organs leaving him alive but to injured to properly fight saying that she owed him this at least. Ullquiorra quietly left heading away from Las Noches to heal.

With the death experience Ichigo was locked within his own mind until the inner world damage fixed itself. He and his hollow self was stuck in the mind as he was so weak. He contented himself with the fact that he could at least watch what was going on. Even if he couldn't actually sit up.

Luckily the breaking of some of the mask had an effect on making the uncontrollable vasto lorde more docile so it wasn't going to attack in a fit of blind rage. Where the mask once covered the entire faced and a large portion of the head had be reduced to a singular horn with a small amount of mask fragment attached to it. Ichigo's eyes had returned from their hollow color's to the normal brown on white. The brown was dull and glassy from the fact that Ichigo was still mostly dead. The red markings stopped at the top of his neck leaving his face a porcelain white. Uryu who was still impaled though the stomach with Tensa Zangetsu told Orihime to stay away of from Ichigo.

Which she ignored completely by poking a cheek. Ichigo's body quickly sat up causing Orihime to run to the quincy boy who was still stuck to the particularly large piece of rubble.

"Inoue what did I just say!"

"But what if Ichigo was dying or something! I had to check." If only she knew.

"Doesn't mean you have got to touch him!" Uryu answer with a slight terrified squeal in his voice.

Ichigo whipped his had around towards the talking shutting the two up instantly, he slowly got up then suddenly appeared in front of them causing Ishida to give out an unmanly squeak.

Instinct Ichigo prodded him a little bit around the sword pressing more gently when Ishida hissed in pain. When he was seemingly satisfied he grabbed onto the blade and yanked the sword right out.

The quincy's screaming and reiatsu spike seemed to have caused who ever was coming up to the roof to start coming over faster.

"Ichigo really?" Was a slightly disgusted Ishida who was watching Ichigo lick his blood of the sword to clean it.

"Ah sorry Uryu I would heal you but it seems that standing so close to Ullquiorra has drained me."

"Understandable. Standing near stronger beings causes the body to automatically give out more reiatsu to protect itself from harm. There is nothing to worry abo... EWWWWW WHY!?"

In the instinct of seeing a friend hurt with no on to heal him Ichigo's instincts had decided to do something about it. Producing great amounts of saliva Ichigo began to drool over the wound. Ishida quickly stopped squirming in realization as to what his friend was currently doing. Ichigo was using his hollow powers to heal his friend.

The hollow wondered to itself as he watched the teenagers fascination whether the quincy sensed any of the quincy power Ichigo was using to protect Ishida's soul from the hollow reiatsu.

"Ishida. Inoue. Why are you staying to close to Kurosaki when he is obviously not in control." Ah. Unohana-taicho.

"He seems to be friendly. Other than the whole licking my blood of his blade thing."

"...Why is he drooling on you?" Unohana did not often show any other expression other than kind and terrifying she was currently displaying the emotion of help I don't understand anything anymore!

"Healing." Ishida gave a vague wave towards the hole through him.

"Oh..."

Done healing Ishida Ichigo prodded the now smooth but scarred skin. He appeared next to Unohana and proceeded to drool on her shoulder where there was a deep gash such as the ones a person would commonly receive when fighting Renji.

"Uh... Kurosaki. I can heal this myself you know..." As if to prove her point she raised her hand and began to heal it only for it to be batted away by Ichigo. "Well I guess your healing is rather fast."

Finally standing up Uryu asked what was going on below the dome. Unohana explained that how after Kenpachi dealt with Nnoitra Grimmjow had just been sat half dead near the edge of the little plot of sand that the shinigami had taken for themselves watching but not doing anything so they had just left him alone. Flower petal captain had somehow managed to team up with the wonderful (in his opinion) Kenpachi to fight the tenth but apparently cero espada.

And then she said how Rukia was severely wounded. Ichigo made a pained sounding whine like a wounded animal.

"Kurosaki do you want to go to her?"

A nod was all the women got in reply. At least Ichigo was now partly aware now even if he was still mostly instinct.

Jumping down the hole Zangtsu but currently not took the chance to look at the situation himself. All of there side had some sort of bad and probably needs medical attention soon injury. Oh there was Grimmjow still sat or perhaps half collapsed on the sand and then... Rukia.

She was in the hands of the cero espada who had become a giant in his rage filled resurreccion.

Faster than anyone else in the area Ichigo chopped Yammy's hand of and grabbed Rukia promptly disappearing before anyone got the chance to see who had just done it.

"OW THAT ACTUALLY HURT YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHO THE FUCK WAS THAT I'M GOING TO SWAT YOU LIKE A FLY!"

"I..Ichigo!"

He looked at her physical conditions and after drool healing her gave a purr, pleased that she seemed to be in decent health. Why their hollow instincts were so interested in Rukia's well being were unknown but what could they do about it.

"Did you purr? How is that even possible... Probably because you are part hollow... hmmm" Fearlessly she prodded at his face.

"Kurosaki you dare hurt Rukia and I will treat you like a hollow."

So he growled.

"Ichigo. Don't growl at nii-sama."

More growling.

With a mischievous glint in her eyes she puts her hand in his hair and starts stroking it like one would at cat.

"Rukia what are you..."

Then Ichigo started purring again. Pleased with the attention.

"OI THERE YOU ARE YOU ANT! I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU!"

**"Fool. Doesn't 'e realise tha wit' this ant no one is home. Th this ant is far above 'im."**

_"Still talking to yourself hollow."_

**"Yep now be quite. I don't 'ave tv so this is wha' I 'ave ta watch."** And with that the quincy just sat down next to him and observed.

While Byakuya and any others within range of the hollows giant hand started to panic Ichigo stopped his purring. Anger. This overgrown bug has and will hurt those in his group.

Quick remedy.

"Ichigo why are you growling so loudly. Are you angry? You look angry. Please put me down before you try anything."

So he did, then without even standing up greeted the espada with a cero to the face. He may not have charged it for long but it was powerful. Yammy's head was gone. Along with the neck. And the shoulders.

Big ass cero.

Dead espada.

"..."

Ichigo once again disappeared, while the shinigami were looking around a blue and white blur came right past them towards the downed cero espada. The hollowfied shinigami pointed at Yammy and the shinigami realised that Ichigo had brought the sexta espada Grimmjow over who was now lacking many previously known injuries. The reason of why Ichigo brought him here was not lost on them. Not wanting to watch arrancar eat another arrancar they looked away.

"Seriously? Kurosaki? Ya went and got youself turned into a hollow. Oh well I got nothing to complain about except for the slime, but that healed me so whatever."

Kurosaki returned and sat next to Rukia who began stroking his head again. This returned the purring.

"I can not believe I am witnessing Ichigo  _purr_ like a cat." Renji made his appearance but looking rather surprised at the hollowfied substitute.

"Hmm seems like such a great research specimen!"

"You touch Rukia's friends or her and I will have to take you apart." Byakuya's defense to almost everyone in the area was surprising.

And so was when Ichigo lifted his head bearing his neck for Rukia to continue her path with the half stroking half tickly scratching she was doing.

Ichigo's colorless half looked stunned that his instincts trusted her so completely! His neck! Oh god how was he even allowing this?

"Oooh Kurosaki-kun is like a really big cat!"

"Kitty Itsugo!"

"With the way Kurosaki is purring I am not surprised you would come to such conclusions. Though I do wonder what modifications his body has from the hollow to purr like this? Can he even do this outside of hollowfication." Uryu pushed his glasses up slipping into his analytical mode.

Then Ichigo just flopped onto the floor leaving his stomach out in the open and a perfect spot on his chest for Nel to sit on.

"Really Ichigo?" And King was still purring! "FINE!" She then moved her attack to his stomach and Ichigo purred so loudly that his chest was vibrating.

"waaah ima fall! Itsugo is really happy!"

"No wonder. Kurosaki you lucky son of a bitch."

"Jeagerjaquez you do not seem to be the type of person who would like this. Actually your very stab happy like Kenpachi. You did impale me with your arm."

"Grimmy is part kitty!"

A collective "Oooh." Was the response to that.

"Panther! Fuck you midget former tres. And fuck Aizen mind if I join you guys? Ally of Kurosaki because I highly doubt you lot of soul society want anything to do with me."

"More against Aizen the better. Now Ichigo seems to have drooled on you as well but do you mind letting me check you over?"

**"Kitty is gonna see te ladies claws is 'e?"**

_"Probably. He is very much like Kenpachi and he has seen them plenty."_

"Fuck no lady!"

The inner hollow gave a look to 'Zangetsu' showing his lack of surprise.

_"Some people are just easy to guess hollow."_

"We need everyone in fighting condition against Aizen,  _do you mind letting me check you over?_ " Her positively terrifying voice making a show once again. Years later he would learn why she was so terrifying.

Grimmjow just gulped and nodded. The sort of Ichigo but mostly instincts soaking up all the attention like a happy cat. Sadly this was the beginning and their trip through the Gargantua was going to deposit them straight into where hell was going to make it's first appearance

* * *

Stepping out of the Gargantua the partly Ichigo, Grimmjow and Nel all recoiled from the sun. Their hollow souls making their eyes far more suited to the darkness of Hueco Mundo where the only source of natural light was from the moon.

Because yes. His hollow kind could see in the dark. Mostly.

"Kurosaki can you stop growling at everything!" Grimmjow was just as agitated as he was five minutes ago as he hadn't been in a fight for an hour because oh god that was so bad.

"Easier. Temporary death. Inner world damage. Heal slow. Sun light painful." His king sounded a little like a robot with the amount of damage done.

"Itsugo spoke!" Said Nel who had seated herself in his neck fur.

"Hn."

"Or not..."

When they had jumped out Byakuya and Kenpachi had gone for Aizens back only to find out that the man had put a shield up behind him because things could never be that easy.

After they had quickly moved away from Aizen towards the large group of shinigami. Everyone was shocked at Ichigo's state and Aizen started to spout a speech about how Ichigo seems to have had so much potential but was actually disappointing. Eventually scary medic women had managed to explain how this state was only temporary and that it was just an effort of his body reversing death.

The primera espada was not taking his battle seriously, after kitty said whatever he had needed to say to the man he had stopped fighting and left the area bringing the small green haired child with him. The current tres Haribel and her fraccion managed to sneak away while everyone was distracted with Aizen, blind man, creep and old ass hollow king.

Tiny stealth captain was healed by Orihime as she was missing an arm along with Toshiro who had just been on the receiving end of Kyoka Suigetsu.

They had won that battle.  _Barely._  The soutaicho not recognizing how much of a threat Aizen was until the bastard took a direct hit from Ryujin Jakka and managed to stay in one piece with barely a scratch. Finally the old fool realized that killing all of his captains might not be the best way to go about this war.

Aizen only retreated because the only espada that stuck around was dead and tosen had been severely injured. The man himself was not that badly injured but did not want to test just himself against everyone's swords.

The gotei returned back to soul society along with the vizards and Ichigo's group including the two arrancar to check on the city and to have injuries healed. With the main bit of fun over the hollow who was greatly weakened practically collapsed and fell straight to sleep.

* * *

Through out the beginning of the war the inner hollow only helped Ichigo under the guise of only wanting the body to not die otherwise he would take over and kill everyone. Your average heartless hollow.

However as kings inner hollow he had a heart. Or rather his heart. He felt any of Ichigo's emotions but far more strongly. He also seemed to be where all of kings self preservation went. As he wanted to keep Ichigo as safe as possible he often saw those that hung around near king lower on the list of importance than Ichigo himself. It was a fact that having friends caused him to be far weaker in fights as he had more to look out for than himself, when pointed objects were headed in your direction this was not helpful.

It rained so much more than it used to.

He had never noticed the sensation and he was sure that Ossan and Ichigo hadn't either. If something was always there one would never even think anything of it.

But he had felt it when it had disappeared. Life had a distinct feel to it. It was like a string to their body. And it had snapped. Like an elastic it hit us like a shock the small formerly unnoticed travel of power to and from the body was gone.

Guess they were no longer a substitute.

For a while king had been shoving him down so far -itchy air, suffocating cantbreathe help emptylonely- that he could no longer watch what was going on. But now he had to know. So after so long of not doing anything he  _pushed_.

_"Hollow I cant deal with your bullshit now. Piss of and bother me later. Or rather never at all."_

**"Fuck of. Ain' even tryin' ta take over. Te fuck happened? Why te fuck are we dead?"**

_"Fine you can watch. Ywatch got his hands on my body. And... oh god. No NO DON'T HE DARE!"_

Ywatch? What? But how would that... so the full body of the quincy king was awake... did Ichigo even realize who 'Zangetsu' was? Did anyone even tell him about his mother? Quick memory check. Ichigo was had suspicions on how similar the two looked but out of fear of his own soul lying to him has said nothing. No one has told him either.

Useless idiots.

So he looked outside and...  **NO**. Ichigo was not as close with him but this was family and oh god. So much death was around him, but there was one person. Not just some stranger but Ichigo's, no  _their_ , father. Hollows were possessive creatures and anything that was  _theirs_ -Ichigo's and his own- should not be touched.

But someone had.

An arrow through the head and -No stop it! Don't let his happen. Please no!- Blood seeping into Ichigo's sandals, his tabi on his feet. But he was to weakened to do anything. Isshin's blood. His soul had been  _destroyed_.

But they were so angry. They would have to watch as Karin would freeze over with a blank look and Yuzu would cry and cling on to Ichigo. The two opposites of the other. The hollow knew, he watched. Ichigo's want to protect them so strong in himself.

The quincy king left him there.

**"king?"** Gently. Warily, not wanting to damage. He never really had.

_"No."_ Oh the sound so  _broken_. Even in his own mind the sound so strained a wheezing sound of pure pain pulled from him.

The hollow did not notice the rain. Did not complain.

Again.  **"Ichigo."**

_"No."_  Until now Ichigo had not understood in the same way. Friends had died, yes. But close friends? Family? Not yet. But now?

Another wheezing sound and he materialized. No force pushing him down any more. Hands on Ichigo's shoulder, looking him in the eyes. Spoke clearly and slowly, **"Ichigo breathe. With me. In. And out."** Because Ichigo had been answering him mentally. He had stopped breathing completely so when the hollow had heard that first shaky breathe, deep but hard to control. But the oxygen! He was so relieved  **"That's good. Again in. And out. Keep going."** Because if he could keep Ichigo in some semblance of together until someone else arrived it would be good.

As far as the hollow was aware it had been the quincy kings fault that their mother had died. To take the other parent away as well.  _Unacceptable_.

He sensed around and realized that there was no one nearby, no one would be hear any time soon. It was the middle of the school day and it had only been a weak hollow. So he moved Ichigo away from their home. Down a random ally and sat on the floor, Ichigos head against his chest. Eyes no longer opened wide but sleepy, tears fell in streams down his face. But the only sound he made was the counted breathing that never smoothed out.

**"No one will come to hurt you. Go to sleep I will not fight against you for now."** So similar to when Masaki had died, Ichigo slept against the hollow and did not resist. His mind created a barrier that day, pushing down the deaths of his parents into a little black box. While he knew they were dead, how they died, it was a lesser focus of the mind.

On a skyscraper sat a little black box no bigger than the hollows hand.

* * *

Later someone had found their body. Shoved into a supply room, it had been lunch and Kon had been wondering around the school halls, an obvious struggle had occurred with smashed windows, damage to the door and things on the self had been knocked down. Obviously not a suicide. Murder with the culprit never found.

Slashes covered the body but the killing wound had been the knife left in his head.

At the end of the school day Ishida, Orihime and Chad took it upon themselves to tell any of those who had been awake when Karakura had been transported to soul society about the spirit world. To warn them. As they had gone after Ichigo and anyone associated with Ichigo eventually got dragged into the spirit world after all.

The group was sat in the park as the sun set when Ichigo had slowly walked there, eyes shadowed but full of pain. The injuries on his soul body perhaps worse than the state of his own physical one.

For once Zangetsu was in a sealed form, proof of how Ichigo did not wish to show his own soul at the moment. Did not wish to fight. The long but thin blade dragging along the floor, held weakly in his hand.

In the park sat Keigo, Tatsuki, Chizuru, Mizuiro, Chad, Orihime and Ishida. All six of them looked more serious than he had seen them before.

"Ichigo?" Tatsuki had seen Ichigo in his soul form before. They all had. After all they had all been awake in soul society but had just waited for their friends to tell them in their own time.

"...Karin, Yuzu, they will be returning... home in a few... minutes from a friends house. Could someone stop them. Take them to Urahara. No he is not in town. We need to all go to Ishida's now. Uryu call your... your father and get him there. Please. I know he doesn't like anything to do with the spirit world but... could you do that for me?" No on missed the pause on  _father_  and what had happened could not have been clearer. Ichigo had not been the only one targeted.

"Yes I... Kurosaki I will get you sisters and take them to my house then call my father. You lot follow Ichigo he knows where I live."

* * *

Ichigo had locked himself in Uryu's room once the quincy boy had so kindly states that he was not in any need for the room at the moment and that there was a shower down the hall. Here is some spirit clothes that I stole from Urahara in case you and you tendency to get you uniform wreaked caused issues. Yes I have spare shinigami uniforms in my wardrobe for your sake because your hopeless sometimes.

Everyone else sat in awkward silence in the living room. Thankfully the door opened. Not so thankfully Ryuken is a natural born prick.

"What have you pulled me from work for and why is there a gathering in my house?"

"Kurosaki Isshin is soul dead. Ichigo is bodily dead." Blunt but Uryu only ever seemed to get through to his father with blunt.

"And anyone else is out of town?" Anyone else meaning Urahara's lot, the vizards and the two arrancar. Out of town was not in the world of the living.

"Yes."

Silence.

"And i'm guessing that Ichigo is holed up in another room and everyone had just left him to his own devices?" Your all ignoring Ichigo because your all too afraid to talk to him. someone like him needs people, not being left alone.

"Yes. But you have not seen him." It pains us to do this but this is worse than you think and as children and teenagers we do not know how to approach the situation. Code highly shit. Adult help needed.

"Ok I will try to contact soul society and inform them of what has happened." I will try to talk to him but I do not know him. I shall attempt to get a friend or others that are close to him to help him.

Ryuken walked out of the room in search of Ichigo and the group of kids were left to sit in the no longer awkward but cold silence. No one did close the curtain to block that one ray on sunlight blinding everyone.

* * *

Ichigo sat in the pitch black room leaning against the bed, he did not look up when the door opened or react when the father -not his own he was  _dead_ \- put his arms around him and held him close.

"Do you know that I knew Masaki." It was not his place but he had promised the parents of the young boy, if they could not tell him could he.

"Mom?" His voice cracked from crying.

"Yes. Shes my cousin actually. Do you know that that means that you are related to my son?"

"Heh we tried to kill each other once."

"And your both intact. That's a surprise."

"Menos got in the way."

"Ah I understand now. That actually maks sense. I actually have something that belongs to her on m but I think that it belongs to you now." Out of his pocket he pulled out a small chain, opening his hand Ichigo could see the small quincy cross in his palm.

"Well it explains why everything around me is nuts. Wait what the hell am I then? Some strange hybrid thing?"

"Don't ask me i'm a doctor not a spirit scientist."

"Can't wait to see Uryu react to the fact that he is even somewhat related to me." As the young quincy had the best reactions to things.

* * *

Hell continued and swallowed Karakura whole. Orihime and Chad died and the hollow somehow managed to get on less rocky terms with Ichigo. Though there were few times to do so Uryu trained Ichigo to make him a "Less disgraceful quincy." After the two lost a bet with Renji and Rukia they had to swap Uniforms for a week. Ichigo had to wear the mantle as well. Ishida did not get to make any modifications to the shinigami shihakusho and everyone had a good laugh at it all because Ichigo did not wear white ever and Uryu never wore black.

But then the hollow found himself forcibly manifested and sealed. In his panicked state because -no weapon no power seal no too close to me neck go away!- he had not been manifested by Ichigo he looked around frantically and -oh nononono not us I have seen the others please don't do this to us- Szayellaporro was there and they were in hueco mundo.

The year passed all too slowly and all to clearly because the knife cut then it was stitched but they weren't satisfied so cut, then stitch. Electric burned and all they wanted to do was be back and their desk doing the paperwork they always complained about because it was so monotonous and boring.

And then one day Ichigo became angry because it was  _Aizen_ in front of them and h had caused all of this pain and hurt. Hands above their head, Tensa Zangetsu -white and black, a pair- one hand each. Every movement a sharp pain. Pulling, blood spilling down their arms.

They yelled and screamed in their shared vision as he was in control but so was Ichigo and there hollowness and natural blood lust was right  _there_. Ears ringing muffling the outside noise from a build up of reiatsu in their body because  _sealed._

They kicked at him and hit his face his glasses falling to the floor and shattering into little pieces because the man did actually need glasses to read.

But they had overestimated the mans tolerance because cut cut cut cut no more yelling. A pulse of reiatsu, always ensures scaring if you are someone like Aizen. A gurgle then a cough. Nothing but blood and they couldn't breathe -Panic. We do not want to die yet. Yuzu and Karin were out there and father was gone- blood spilled out painting an image of death upon them, staining their thin white clothes -sleeveless baggy shirt and knee length shorts once white like the walls and the floor and the door and lights and masks- a dark pink.

Then more white on their neck. Heal heal heal heal. Breathe.

"Hmm how interesting you seem to gain abilities when you are in danger of death."

No no nononononono. Make it stop please. No more needles and scalpels please!

But he walked towards us and removed the swords throwing them across the ground far out of their reach. -Large room more like a hall but it's only ever us locked away here- And put the chains back on our wrists and ankles where they rubbed away at the skin but our hand healed and there was no more pain. Even if their were shards of glass in their feet it was such a minuscule pain compared to everything else that they just did not notice.

Then he walked out and they were left alone on the floor of the white room looking up at the blinding white light. Too bright to allow for sleep so you only ever fell asleep when your body was to tired to do anything but sleep.

They stayed quite after that because that hurt far less.

* * *

One day they heard a voice, at first they thought it a figment of their imagination but it insisted otherwise. Told them a logical reason and spoke soothing words. Finally the loneliness was far less. But they did not tell Aizen of her because then they would never be free.

She told them of that now the gotei had definite proof of their location a rescue mission would be launch and they could leave  _finally_.

_"Shhh. It's ok we are coming to you. Don't worry i'm not a part of your imagination, remember what I said about how we can reach to each others souls? We're on our way you three just wait for us ok?"_

_**"I am here as well, just a few hours. Not long at all."** _

We did not say anything to her but she could feel our gratitude and pure happiness at there voice. It had been a year and they were being told how only a few more hours.

And they arrived like they said and Rukia was right in front of us and she held our hand, how wonderful it felt to have such a gentle touch and her safe winter reiatsu. Her fingers carefully moving our long hair out of our face and tucking it behind our ears.

* * *

Then they had to deal with the scary lady but she was only kind at the moment as she checked over our body, breaking bones to re-set them so they healed in a way that was normal and removed the glass from our feet.

But we could not settle so Rukia drew us pictures of bunny Renji being his normal stupid self and causing a mess in bunny Byakuya's office (though the two were both in the room they did not mind the little story it was plenty true in fact thy were joining in on the story telling) and Ichigo watched her.

"And because Renji had knocked all of the ink over my stacks of paperwork he had to deal with my writing lessons so he could turn in his own reports a little more legible than before. He also had to clean the entire squad building himself." Byakuya was obviously quite pleased at having gotten Renji to do work like that.

"Silly Renji, but what about the pink haired bunny and the butterfly on that side of the page?" They said - With their blue tongue. Their skin to pale and their eyes golden because they were both still sharing the body.- pointing a black nailed finger at the bottom left corner of the page.

"Well while I was cleaning Yachiru came along chasing a butterfly and started making a mess of everything I had just cleaned up! So I had to clean the squad barracks twice!"

"Ichigo.. or hollow wait what should I call you?" Though it seemed like Unohana wanted to tell us something she seemed genuinely confused as to what sh should call us in the first place.

They look out of the window in thought swinging their legs in the air from wear they were sat on the hospital bed. They had refused to lay down. "Hansha."

"Hansha? That's interesting may I ask why?"

"Well we... Ichigo and the hollow, are reflections of each other. While Ichigo is full of colour and often goes out of his way to help as many people as possible the hollow looks just like Ichigo but with white hair and white skin with gold on black eyes. He only likes to look after a small group of people. Such as our family and close friends like Rukia and he puts Ichigo's safety above anyone else's which is why he would rather do all the fighting himself."

"Hm, is that so? But why would something with no heart want to protect someone else? Why don't you explain that one Hansha."

"That's where everyone is wrong. The hollow does have a heart or more specifically he is Ichigo's heart. You see as Ichigo was born with the hollow Ichigo himself is hollow so that heart had to go somewhere. So it went where all the hollow power went. If you were to remove the hollow from Ichigo completely not only would it do irreparable damage to the soul but they would both go insane. One from the overload of emotions that belong to him and not another mind and the other would forever go searching for the 'heart'. Anything Ichigo feels the hollow feels  _stronger_."

"Thats... Is that why the hollow screamed so much when Ichigo pulled his mask of during our fight?" Smart, smart man that Byakuya.

"Uh huh. Cause no one told him about what the fuck he is Ichigo pushed his hollow away. The pain was from the rejection of his own heart."

The occupants of the room all cringed at the thought and gained slightly more respect for the inner hollow.

"Well Hansha all I was going to say that you can go for now but rest. I suggest staying as Hansha as you have an incredibly fast healing speeds like this."

"Really? Ok! Where to next!" No one had commented on Hansha's childish behavior yet because they knew about the little black box and they knew what Ichigo's mind had done to cope. Everything had been put in there and become half accessible so until Ichigo healed some more and went through everything they had Hansha.

"And now for the reason why I am here. We are going to allow you to stay in the same Kuchiki home as Rukia and myself until Unohana says you can be left by yourself.

"Oooh you got the nice pond! Yay fish!"

"Yes my fish are still alive."

"Ok lets go!"

* * *

Eventually the two seperated again but they were broken causing for the care over Ichigo to practically double. Even though Ichigo was a Shiba no one ever stopped him from staying in the Kuchiki mansion so in the end he was living there. Byakuya had someone transfer Ichigos stuff over from where ever he had been living before to his room.

At one point Byakuya had gone as well when he returned he was a different person. Once again the fish helped wonderfully as the calming animals they were. Though Byakuya had ended up dying for Rukia.

Many others died too but the gotei was still standing and Ichigo's small family were happy.

But things went horribly wrong.

The hollow hadn't been watching but something was wrong as the inner world -his home-  _broke_. Darkness and blood and it was so hot in hr because he was so angry and then it rained and each drop was ice cold, bitter, holding so much more sorrow than it ever had before.

Then the building broke and he couldn't find Zangetsu but he could hear him yelling and all he wanted to do was hide in the mans lap again like he did in the time when he knew nothing. When he hid in the mans cloak like Ichigo hid behind their mothers skirts, so similar because they were one and the same.

So he looked. Then Fury. An emotion so hot it burned in his veins and he wanted to  _kill_  and  _torture_  for what they had done because Karin and Yuzu.

Was he yelling? He did not know but it hurt and he was going to hurt Ichigo and he couldn't do that so he kept his power inside himself burning him from the inside. The hollow fell onto his side on one of the skyscrapers and  _cried_ , clutching his head and rocked himself because he needed even a tiny scrap of calm then,

_"It's ok. Just let go of it. I'm tired hollow. No... let me call you Shiro."_

Of course. It was king and he had a one track mind and it was the same name he had called him years ago, or had he remembered? But it did not matter because he had a  _name_  and that meant so much to him.

**"Ok. Thank you."**

The pressure was gone and it felt so nice to just lay there quietly.

* * *

When he next gained awareness he was in the Kurosaki clinic. Or at least the inner worlds version of it. On his bed because Ichigo had a room and Shiro had wanted somewhere to sleep and it was a nice room. But he could feel Sode No Shirayuki in here but when he followed the connection to Rukia he couldn't find  _anything_.

When Zangetsu had explained and let him watch what had happened Shiro once again cried.

* * *

The war got worse and worse and in the end it was only Ichigo and Urahara against Aizen. So they fought. The battle was long and lasted for literal days and in the last moments of the fight while Aizen knew he had lost he killed Urahara leaving Ichigo alone.

But not completely.

For someone who had been watching for a while apparently had been freed by Ichigo's sorrow and he built something out of the blank slate Ichigo had made.

But not something new, they were gifted with a chance to protect them all again all in exchange for a name.

So of course they accepted the offer.

Why wouldn't they?

* * *

_Hansha and masks,_

"Byakuya!" Hansha was rolling across the office floor in boredom, a habit from the hollow. Sadly the office floor provided less space than a skyscraper to roll about on.

"Hansha I understand that you are bored but I have paperwork to fill out and it's all due today. And how many times have do I have to tell you that it's Kuchiki-taicho."

"Bya-ku-ya!"

Without looking up the captain materialized Senbonzakura.

"Taicho? Really?"

"Renji please think about the state Ichigo is in. If we let his mind wander it falls onto more unpleasant subjects."

"Oh smart!"

Senbonzakura walked over to Hansha at a complete loss as to how he was meant to entertain the man.

"You have a mask!"

"...Yes..."

"So do we! But people say our mask is scary though... I got a demon mask!" Happily he summoned his vasto lorde mask effortlessly. This one was white with black markings. He pulled the mask over his face, "See! I think your mask is cool though! It has all those pretty colours. Mines a hollow mask so it's mostly white."

"Well I think your mask is not bad. If some one is being mean you could scare them away."

"Oh your right! Smart! Just like Byakuya!"

* * *

**Hnnnn. That took a long time. I think this is longer than any chapter currently in RTR. (I checked and this is like 2000 more words than my current longest RTR chapter!)**

**Sleepy must sleep.**

**If you didn't work it out Hansha is japanse for reflection.**

**-Thanks for reading this story, Luna**


End file.
